Belt-tightener



(No Model.)

' Shets-Sheet 1. A.D.8HANDLER.

BELT TIGHTBNER. No. 548,088. Q Patented May 28, 1895.

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ffm/55555 JWM/TU@ W? y. M w 9%@ (No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

A. D. CIE[A1\TDLI:`IR.` BELT TIGHTBNER.

Patented May 28V,V 1895..-

` Fl' l-Imllllllnmmn UNITED A,Sarnia-3s PATENT Qrrrcn.

ALFRED D. CHANDLER, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

BELT-TlG-HTENER.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters `Patent No. 540,088,dated May 28, 1895.

Application led December 18. 1893. `Serial No. 493,889. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:`

Be it known that I, ALFREDD. CHANDLER, of Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented ,certain new and useful Improvements in Belt- Tighteners; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in devices for tightening driving-belts. It is herein shown as applied to a railway head but may be arranged for the tightening of other belts.

The object of the invention is to so construct a belt-tightener, of the nature herein described, that it may be positively operated to loosen or tighten the belt to which it is applied.

Another object of the invention is to so construct a belt-tightener, adapted for use in a machine having an inclosing casing, that the belt-tightener may be operated from the outside of said casin g and secured in any desired position.

The invention consists in the combination with a fixed cone or other pulley, of the movable pulley, the continuous belt extending over both pulleys, and the mechanism for supporting the loose pulleyand for adjusting its location concentrically.

A The invention also consists in the sleeve having arms between the ends of which the loose pulley is journaled, the segmental-gear extending from the sleeve, the worm-gear meshing with the segmental-gear, together with the worm-gear shaft and the mechanism for operating the worm-gear shaft and for locking the same against backward rotation.

The invention also consists in such other peculiar features of construction and combination of parts as may hereinafter be more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents an end elevation of a railway-header similar machine partially broken away and showing myimproved belt- A tightening device applied thereto. Fig. 2 represents a rear elevation of parts of the samel loosepulley-sleeve is journaled, Fig. l being a side view of the same. Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views of the bracket in which the adq `joining ends of the worm-gear shaft and the adjusting-shaft are journaled. Fig. 7 is a 4View of the pawl-pin, Figs. 8 and 9 being end `or easing portion of the adjusting-shaft is journaled. Fig. 15 is a View of the handwheel and its ratchet. Fig. 16 represents a view of the bevel-gear on the adjusting-shaft. Fig. 17 is a View of the gear on the worin-gear shaft, Fig. 18 representing aview of the wormgear shaft partially broken away. Figs. 19 and 2O are views of the collar on the adjustingshaft, and Fig. 21 is an enlarged view of the setscrew therefor. Fig. 22 isa view of the adjusting-shaft partially broken away. Figs. 23 and 2-1 represent elevations of the spreaders to which the bracket-arms represented in Figs. 3 and 4 are secured. Fig. 25 is a crosssec tional view taken on a line a a, Fig. 24, Fig. 26 being a similar View taken on a line b b, same figure. Fig. 27 is a similar view taken on a line c c, Fig. 23. Figs. 28 and 29 represent views of the plate and its bearing in which the frame end of the worm-gear shaft is journaled. Fig. 30 represents an elevation of the sleeveand its arms between which the loose pulley is journaled, and Fig. 3l is an end view thereof more clearly showing the locations of the arms with reference to the plate to which the segmental gear is attached.

Similar numbers of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.

In carrying my invention into practice I mount the pulley 35 on a shaft 36 which is journaled. in bearings in the upper part of a suitable frame-work. At the lower portion of the machine I secure the spreaders 37-37 and to the upper portion of the spreaders I removably secure the bracket-arms 38-38 having perforations at their upper ends through which the drive-shaft 39 may extend and bearing-collars tO- 4.0, the construction of these arms being more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Journaled on the collars 40-40 of the arms 38 and inclosing the drive-shaft is the sleeve TOO 41 having forwardly inclined arms 42-142 having bearings at their outer ends, `and a irear- Wardly-inclined plate 43 to which the arm 44 of the segmental-.gear 45 is adjustably secured by the bolt 46. The shaft 47 is journaled in the bearings of the arms 42742, and mounted on this shaft is the pulley 48, which, if a'conepulley is used, is set with its base opposite the smaller end of the fixed pulley 35. On thisy shaft 47 is also secured a gear 49 which intermeshes with and is driven by the gear 50 on the drive-shaft. if the outer ends of the arms 42-42, carrying the pulley 48, are moved upward or downward, this movement will be concentric with the drive-shaft 39 and the gears 49 and 50 will al- Ways remain in their positions relative to each other." On'the pulleys 35 and 48 I place the continuous belt 5l by means'of which :movement is `conveyedfromthe pulley'48 to drive the pulley 35. i

In the lowerfport'ion ofthe casingthe wormgear shaft 52 is journaled below the segme'intal gear and in the vertical'pl'ane thereof. On this shaft is rigidly secu red the worm 53Which interm'eshes with the segmental gear'45; and

on the end ofv` the shaft is keyedL the fbevelf gear 54. The adjusting-shaft 55 is journaled in the -lowerl portion of the casing andfextends through one side oft-he same.l `Extending in a direction at right angles with the shaft 52,

on the inner-end of thisadjustingishaft, is

secured-the bevel-gear 56 Vwhich in-term'eshes with the gear54` on the shaft 52,'w1hil'e at the outer end of the vadjlisting-shaft isseeured the hand-wheel 57 havingthe handle-53andv aslee've onfw'hich, the ratchet-59 is secured. Secured in theside of the casinglabove the adj listing-shaft is vthe pawl-shaftO von which the pawll' 61' having the thumb-piece 62 is pivoted, -being locatedj ust abovefthe ratchet 59 Withwhich the free end ofthe pawfl vistadapte'd. to enga-ge.

` When the belt 5l is first placedfon the pulleys, the pulley 48 should be elevated' or brought nearer the `fixed-pulley 35. This is accomplished by throwing back the pawl from l engagement with the ratchet 59 and turning the hand-wheell 57 in the direction indicatedv by the arrow al1-:r in Fig. 1, this Vmovement of'A the hand-wheel being transmitted through the gears-56 and 54 to the worm-gear 53 which acts on the segmental gear tomove this gear forward, the sleeve 4ll being thus rotated` in a direction to swing the arms 42, between which the pulley'48 is journaled, upward concentrically with the shaft 39 so thatvk the-pulley- '48 is broughtnear to thefixed pulley 35 while the gear 49 is continually engagedfwith the gear 50. Thegbelt beingadjustedon the .pul-v leys 35 and-48, thefpawl- 6l is swung back to engage the teethof theratche't i59 and the s h'and-'wheel57 isl tu rned= in the direction indi- It is, therefore, evident thatv and bring a strain on the belt, From time to timeas the belt stretches a further movement of the hand-wheel is made in this last direction to take up the slack in the belt, and when turned the hand-wheel is held against backward rotation by means of the pawl 6l engaging the ratchet 59. This adjustment to tighten the belt can be operated while the machine 5 is running without affecting the product thus saving time of stopping to take up belts and reducing product as with any other known device.

Having thus described my invention, I

' claim'as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a belt-tightener, the combination with a drive-shaft journaled in bearings, and a gear mounted on:said shaft, of bearing coll-arssurrounding thissh'aft and supported independently thereof, a sleeve, surrounding said shaft andv rotatable on these bearings having 'laterallyextending arms, and a cen- -tral ysecuring-plate extending from the sleeve at an angle from said arms, a pulley rotatably supported on a shaft between said arms, a gear secured tov said shaft and intermeshing wththe gear of Y.the drive-shaft, a segmentalgear Vmounted-.on said-securingplate, and

- meansA for moving said segmental-gear, as described.

, 2. lIn a' belt-tightener, the combination with a casing, al shlaft'provided with a worm jour- `naledin. the lower y'portion`off the casing, a ibevel-gearkeyed-to said shaft,an adjustingshaft journaled at right angles with the first lmentioned shaft and extending through the side of the casing, La'bevel-.gear on the inner f end of thefadjustingsh'aft intermeshing with Vthe corresponding gear of the worm-shaft, r and a hand wheel at the outer end ofthe adjusting-shaft, of a drive-shaft journaled inl fbearingsf transversely to theworm-shaft, a r gearon saidsh-aft, bearing collarsfsurrounding the drive-shaft, brackets for supporting these bearings, a sleeve, having lateral arms `and av central2 laterally-extending securingplate, j ournaled on said bearing collars, a pulley `journaled between thel arms and provided with a gear intermeshing with the gear of the drive-shaft, a segmental-geariadjustably fastened to the securing-armand engaged by the worm, a pulley :rotatablymounted' at the upper portion of thevcasing, and a continuous belt passing over both pulleys.

3; The. combination with theshaft 52 journ'aled in bearings and-provided with the worm 53, and the'gear- 5.4, the-shaftv55, journaled at right ang-les with-the shaft 52, provided with the gear engaging with the gear;54, land the .handwheel 57 having theratchet 59, and they paw'l 6l pivoted above the ratchetv and engagable therewith, of the drive-shaft 39 journaled in.I bearingsT transversely to; the worm-shaft; the gear`50 keyed to. this shaft, the` brackets or spreader's 37, the bracket-arm 38 secured tosaid brackets and having bearing-co11ars 40 surrounding the drive-shaft,

IOO

IIO

the sleeve 4l journaled on the bearing-collars and having the arms 42-42 and plate 43, the shaft 47 journaled in bearings at 4the ends of the arms 42, the pulley 48 mounted on-this shaft', the gear 49 also on this shaft. and intermeshing With the drive-gear, and the segmental-gear 45 secured to the plate 43 and intermeshing With the Worm 53.

4. Inabelt-tightener, the combination with a rotatable pulley mounted on a fixed shaft, of adrive-shafaa gearon said shaft,bearings movable concentric with the drive-shaft, a shaft journaled Vin said bearings, a pulley mounted on this shaft, agear also on said shaft engaged by the gear of the drive-shaft, and means for moving the bearings tobring the pulleys nearer together or to separate them, as and for the purpose described. y

5. In a belt-tightener, the combination-with a shaft journaled in fixed bearings, and a belt-.pulley mounted on the shaft, a shaft, movable bearings in Which the shaft is `iournaled, a belt-pulley on this last mentioned shaft, mechanism for moving these bearings, and the shaft journaled therein, and a belt connecting the two pulleys, of a drive-shaft,

and means located between the same, and the movable shaft for transmitting the mo-` tion of the drive-shaft to the movable shaft, as described.

6. In a belt-tightener, the combination with a drive-shaft journaled in bearings,a gear on said shaft, bearing-collars embracing said shaft, standards on which these bearing-collars are supported independent of the driveshaft, a sleeve also embracing the drive-shaft and jou rnaled on the bearing-collars,` said sleeve being furnished with lateral arms, a shaft journaled in the outer ends of said arms, a belt-pulley mounted onthis shaft, a gear on said shaft intermeshing With the gear of the drive-shaft, and mechanism for rotat- 

